Pilot? Student pilot? Future pilot? Interested in learning to fly? If you're reading this forum, you've got flying in your blood! SportPilotTalk is a great place to ask questions about this exciting new segment of (more) affordable aviation!

My name is John. I'm a student sport pilot living in Albuquerque, NM. I've been doing my flight training in a Remos GX at Santa Fe Municipal airport and plan to take my practical exam in the next week or two. I got interested in aviation while working on my PhD in Wildlife Sciences. I was conducting a wildlife telemetry study and we often had to fly in a Cessna 172, with yagi antennas attached to the wing struts, to locate missing collars. I used the opportunity to learn some basic flight maneuvers and quickly got hooked.

I would really like to meet any other pilots in New Mexico. Like I said, I should have my sport pilot certificate in a few weeks.

Welcome to Sport Pilot Talk, John. My sister and her family live in Albuquerque and I usually fly into Double Eagle II (AEG) once a year to visit since they live on the west side. It's kinda cool that you got interested in flying by tracking wildlife telemetry transmitters in a 172.

Welcome, I'm new here too! Have good memories of my first practical exam 40 years ago and confident it will be a pleasant experience for you, too. Please let us know when you get your Sport Pilot certificate!

to get an overview of the process. I'd say prepare, but don't over-prepare. Go into the practical rested and relaxed, and you'll do fine. Oh - and don't forget to have fun!

The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.Prof H Paul ShuchPhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMTAvSport LLC, KLHVfly@AvSport.orgAvSport.org facebook.com/SportFlyingSportPilotExaminer.US

Tony Stout here... I'm a new sport pilot as of September of this year.

I learned to fly at Double Eagle Airport in a Weight Shift Trike. Now, I am also at Santa Fe doing some transition training into an airplane. I am flying the Tecnam Sierra P2002.

I didn't even know the Remos is available! I would love to fly a high wing airplane.

Who is your CFI? Mine is Jean Luc Pous -- a good guy, he makes me laugh.

Anyhow, it would be great to meet you at some point in the future. I know many trike pilots in ABQ but have not yet met a single light sport airplane pilot. I've actually been hoping to find someone (or a few someones), that would like to consider partial ownership on an airplane to bring the costs down and also be able to afford something of a higher quality than I would be able to purchase on my own. If you know anyone, let me know!

Thanks for all the responses and encouragement, everyone. I'm in a holding pattern (or very extended downwind) at the moment as I'm waiting for the DPE to find a time to do the oral and practical exams with me. I had the practical scheduled a couple of weeks ago but we had to cancel because of the weather. I'll keep everyone posted. I'll likely be switching to a Tecnam Sierra as the Remos GX that I trained with will no longer be available.

I hope it all went well for you. I'm a PPSEL, on my third airplane now, 2006 Sportstar SE, based at E98 (airpark...plane at my house) south of ABQ. There are a few LSA's here. I wanted to "down size" from certified aircraft while still keeping PPSEL privileges and burning mogas available across the street at Allsups is awesome. We do have competitively priced avgas if you want to fly south and need 100ll.

As long as you have an FAA medical or Basic Med, you will always have your Private Pilot privileges. You must also comply with the limitations of the aircraft you are flying such as two place or no IFR, etc.

Hi, I'm also new to this forum, and interested in training in an LSA in Albuquerque or Santa Fe. Anyone have any leads?Unfortunately it looks like NM Sport Aviation is no longer operational, and their Tecnam Sierra is now with Sierra Aviation in SF. Has anyone worked with the SF instructors? Tony, is Jean Luc Pous still teaching? Using the Tecnam? Interested in a new student? Thanks!Meg

MegL: Best to start a new topic rather that trying graft into an existing one.

Throughout this Topic the merits of a Private Pilot Certificate With one form of medical are discussed. Those questions would apply to you, in that you specify Sport Pilot. Is there some compelling reason to go the SP route?

Hi , thanks for your response. I am "officially" going for my PPL, but it's taken much longer than anticipated and haven't soloed yet. I do have a medical certificate, but might just go for sport pilot for now and add on the PPL later Hoping to eventually buy an LSA so thought it might be nice to train on one. - Meg

MegL wrote:Hi , thanks for your response. I am "officially" going for my PPL, but it's taken much longer than anticipated and haven't soloed yet. I do have a medical certificate, but might just go for sport pilot for now and add on the PPL later Hoping to eventually buy an LSA so thought it might be nice to train on one. - Meg

Not so sure about that plan. You still have to solo even for a SP Certificate. It is based on the instructors confidence of you skills and not some hourly figure.

If you settle in with a SP Certificate, you will find it much harder to shell out the extra to go for a PP Certificate when you can fly now! Human nature but I know far more PP's that don't have an Instrument Rating than those with one. Time and money followed by no need are the reasons I hear.